Air-Fried Sweet Potato Falafel

This air-fried sweet potato falafel recipe is a fun and healthy upgrade to traditional deep-fried falafel.

An air-fryer uses just air – not oil – to crisp up the outside of your food. So, it’s not fried at all, it just tastes like it. Pair this air-fried sweet potato falafel with tahini, hummus, and your favorite roasted veggies or salads for a complete meal.

While authentic falafel calls for dried chickpeas that need to be soaked overnight, this quickie version can be made with canned chickpeas.

No air-fryer? No problem.

I don’t have an air-fryer, so went to my in-laws to use theirs for the recipe. However, after doing some further research, I realized that an air fryer is essentially a convection oven with a brilliant name. So you can bake this in a convection oven, or regular oven, and still get a crispy exterior.

If using a regular oven, here are some tips to ensure the crispiest “fried” shell:

1. Use a pan with perforations in the bottom, like this stainless steel pizza pan. This allows maximum air circulation and a crisp crust.
2. Oven “fried” foods tend to be a bit drier, so to prevent the falafel from getting too dry, brush each falafel with a drop of oil.
3. Turn the fan inside your oven on – it helps the hot air circulate better resulting in a crispier finished dish.

Sweet Potato Falafel

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2.67 from 3 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings5 people*

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato diced**
• 1 can chickpeas drained
• 1 cup red onion diced (medium sized)
• ½ cup cilantro chopped coarsely
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped coarsely
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1½ tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. unrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt)
• 3 Tbsp. chickpea flour or almond flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder

Instructions

• Soften the sweet potato, either by microwave or steaming. To microwave, add the cubes to a microwave-safe dish, microwave about 3-5 minutes until soft. To steam, fill a pot with a steamer basket with one-inch of water. Bring it to a boil, add the sweet potatoes into the steamer basket, cover, and steam for about 10 minutes, until sweet potatoes are soft.
• Next combine all ingredients in the blender, and blend until a you have a smooth-ish consistency. A little chunky is ok.
• Remove to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, to firm up.
• Spoon about a tablespoon or so into your hand and roll into a 1-inch ball. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Air fry at 375F for 15-18 minutes.
• Serve with tahini, hummus, and your favorite veggies.

Recipe Notes

*Makes: 28 1-inch falafels

**If using organic sweet potato, leave the skin on for added fiber and nutrients. If not, simply peel it before cubing.

No air-fryer? You can bake the falafel in the oven at 375F for 25-30 min. To ensure a nice crisp crunch and prevent drying out, brush each falafel with a drop of oil. If you have a fan in the oven turn it on. It helps the hot air circulate better resulting in a crispier finished dish. 

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